Austin Thomas joined the Tiger football staff in April of 2013 and serves as LSU’s Director of Player Personnel. Among Thomas’ primary responsibilities include prospect evaluation, managing recruiting events as well as maintaining LSU’s recruiting database and updating the recruiting board. In Thomas’ first two seasons at LSU, he helped the Tigers claim back-to-back Top 5 signing classes in 2014 and 2015, which included signing the nation’s top overall player in 2014.

Thomas, who also assists with the overall management of LSU’s current roster, was one of three finalist for the 2014 Football Scoop Director of Player Personnel of the Year Award.

Thomas, who received his undergraduate degree from Lipscomb in 2008 and followed that with a Master’s degree in sport management from Tennessee, is also responsible for maintaining LesMiles.net.

Thomas joined LSU after a brief stint at Bowling Green, where he served as the Falcons’ Director of Recruiting and Player Personnel.

Thomas got his start in college athletics in the fall of 2008 when he served as a recruiting intern at Tennessee. He then served as a defensive assistant for a year under Monte Kiffin at Tennessee from June 2009 to May 2010.

Thomas joined the Southern Cal staff in June of 2010, first serving as a defensive and recruiting assistant for a year before moving into operations in April of 2011. He was promoted to assistant director of operations/recruiting in April of 2012, a post he held until March of 2013.

Thomas is a native of Franklin, Tenn., and is married to the former Brittney Piper and the couple just had their first child, Paul Austin Thomas III, who was born on June 24 of this year.